When was the last time you walked into your closet and felt GOOD in there?
If you just laughed out loud, this one’s for you. 😂 On Episode 50 of The BAD Mom Show I brought on my friend Trisha Richardson to talk about personal style, and y’all, this conversation was so much fun.
We met at an event where I was MCing and she was one of the speakers. The second she finished, I made a beeline for her. What she shared took me right back to my boutique days and those moments in the dressing room when a woman walks out in something that finally feels like HER. Shoulders back, eyes brighter, a little strut in her step. Nothing better.
Trisha is the founder of Style and Modern Etiquette. She helps busy professionals define their style, build wardrobes that work for their real lives, and find their confidence along the way.
Your Clothes Speak Before You Do
This was one of my favorite parts. Trisha starts every client relationship with one question: what do you want your clothes to say about you?
Before you ever open your mouth, your clothes are already talking. Powerful? Elegant? Calm? Strong? You get to decide. The point is how YOU feel walking into a room, so your style lines up with who you actually are.
The Science Behind Personal Style
This part blew my mind a little. Researchers call it enclothed cognition. In one study, people who wore a white coat they were told belonged to a doctor paid sharper attention on tasks than people told the same coat was a painter’s.
What you put on changes how you carry yourself, whether you’re heading into a meeting, the carpool line, or a soccer game. A wardrobe you love is foundational to how you show up in your day.
I know this is true for me. On the days I actually get dressed instead of living in my workout clothes (which, let’s be honest, happens a lot), I feel more confident, more productive, and more ME.
Your Closet Holds More Than Clothes
Here’s where it got real. Your closet is a pretty vulnerable place. You don’t let many people in there, and for a lot of us it holds a whole lot of emotional baggage: clothes that don’t fit anymore, pieces tied to memories, the “what if I gain the weight back” fear, the stuff we keep out of guilt.
Trisha talked about how tender this process is for her clients, and it reminded me so much of the boutique. Women would come in saying, “I don’t have good style,” or “I feel fat,” or “I don’t know what I’m doing.” We speak those words over ourselves before anyone else gets the chance.
But your body is a gift from God. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Every body shape is beautiful; you just accentuate different parts depending on yours. Dressing that body well is one way you steward the gift.
How Trisha Helps Women Find Their Style
Her process is like a therapy session in your closet, in the best way. She starts with your style goals, then does a full closet edit. Anything that doesn’t fit your goals, your body, or your life goes, and what’s left is a closet full of things you love.
Then she gets strategic about what to add back. Every piece should be a workhorse doing three or four jobs for you, with quality over quantity. She even builds clients a digital look book, so every morning is look, grab, and go.
Imagine no more standing in front of your closet stressed at 7am, with outfit changes piling up on the floor. You just walk out the door confident and present for your people.
What About Trends?
Trends change every five seconds, and keeping up is exhausting. Trisha’s advice is to pick one or two that fit YOUR style and add a little pop: a neck scarf, a fun purse charm, big glasses. (She had the cutest readers on during our chat, and I immediately asked for the link.)
Save the big money for classic foundational pieces, and find dupes for the fun stuff.
This Is About Identity, Not Vanity
God put gifts inside you to share with the world. When you feel put together and confident, you’re free to focus on those gifts instead of shrinking back in insecurity or worrying about how you look.
So what do you want to communicate when you walk into a room? What energy do you want to carry? Start there.
If this stirred up bigger questions about who you are in this season, Who Am I Beyond Motherhood? is a good next read.
The full conversation with Trisha is on Episode 50 of The BAD Mom Show. Listen while you clean out one drawer and see how it feels.
